When Donald Trump began his first presidential campaign, two buildings bearing his name were under construction in India, one in Mumbai and another in Pune. Before his 2016 election victory, the Trump Organization expanded in India by signing deals in two additional major cities.
The day after Trump’s win in November, a developer announced several new projects to local media. In these agreements, Indian businesses purchase land, construct high-rises, sell the apartments, and pay a fee to use the Trump brand.
These ventures are drawing more attention to India from the Trump Organization. With Trump potentially returning to the presidency, this country is becoming a focal point for possible conflicts of interest.
During Trump’s first term, he navigated uncharted waters as a sitting U.S. president with extensive business interests abroad. In his second term, the Trump Organization plans to implement a more limited ethics strategy that is unlikely to significantly restrict its expansion.
While the United States remains the core of the Trump family’s real estate business, there are also Trump Towers in the Philippines, Turkey, and Uruguay. The company is working on plans for more towers in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
However, India is distinctive. Partners of the Trump Organization there intend to increase the number of Trump-branded buildings to ten in the coming years.
India’s economy is expected to surpass Japan’s and become the fourth largest in the world by 2025. A growing wealthy consumer class is rapidly accumulating wealth, despite much of the 1.4 billion population facing stagnant incomes.
Trump has maintained a friendly relationship with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose strong support for Trump has enhanced the brand’s presence, according to Indian real estate analysts.
Anuj Puri, head of Anarock, a major property consulting firm in India, noted that many wealthy Indians, benefiting from stock market gains, want to enjoy their wealth rather than just save it.
Kalpesh Mehta, founder of Tribeca Developers in Mumbai, stated that Trump Towers are planned for Hyderabad and Bengaluru, along with more in Mumbai, Pune, and areas around New Delhi.
Besides the two completed Trump Tower buildings in Mumbai and Pune, other projects with the Trump name are at different stages of construction.
After Trump’s first victory, the Trump Organization pledged not to initiate new international deals while he served as president, and he transferred operations to his sons, Donald Jr. and Eric. Reports indicated that the Trump sons might visit India in early 2025 to promote upcoming projects.
In 2018, Donald Trump Jr. faced scrutiny for visiting India to speak on geopolitics, but he later clarified that he was there as a businessman.
The Trump Organization, headquartered in New York, did not respond to specific questions about its plans in India. However, a company spokesperson stated that they have worked on several iconic projects in India over the past decade and are proud of the Trump brand’s achievements in the region.
A 38-story tower is slowly being built on former marshland in Kolkata. Initiated by a local developer, Unimark, this project became Trump Tower Kolkata after a licensing agreement, attracting many buyers even at higher prices.
Last month, in interviews, sales agents and apartment owners in Kolkata mentioned that the Trump name adds to the building’s appeal. However, many expressed frustration over construction delays and concerns about Unimark’s financing.
Poonam Dutt, 60, shared that she and her husband, Sukant, purchased an apartment there in 2018 for around $530,000. She noted, “It was a quality product because it has the Trump name.” The couple even traveled to New York to celebrate their purchase at Trump Tower Kolkata. Sukant Dutt remarked that owning a flat in Trump Towers was a significant achievement.
In India, it’s common to sell homes before they are built, usually based on artist renderings, but this often requires a strong brand behind it, according to Puri.
At a temporary sales location for Trump Tower Kolkata, a coffee-table book features an image of Donald Trump Jr. The first page claims, “Your home can be so powerful that a letter would reach you anywhere in the world, just with the Trump name.”
This marketing seems effective.
Sumit Bhalotia, an accountant from a Kolkata law firm, mentioned he made a down payment on a $700,000 apartment during the last months of Trump’s first term.
The completion date for Trump Tower Kolkata has been pushed back to September 2024 due to delays from the COVID-19 pandemic. Owners are still waiting, as reported by over a dozen unhappy customers who discussed their issues in a WhatsApp group chat reviewed by The New York Times.
Despite being unhappy with the delays, Bhalotia remains optimistic: “I expect all the best services. I’m a professional; my visitors are from high society.”
Calls to Unimark executives have not been returned, and Tribeca Developers declined to comment on any Trump projects in India.
Bhalotia purchased the apartment with his entire family in mind. “It was my mother’s dream to live in her ideal home,” he said, adding that her passing in October has left a lasting sadness.
Still, he holds onto hope, especially after the election.